Fundraising - have I lost the plot here?

[carla]

DDs attend our local state school. Every so often we have a fundraising mission - be it for a charity, or for the PTA.

What I don't get (and hope some of you will fill me in on) is why my best friend's dd, who goes to an independant school, has to fundraise for the benefit of the school. After all, they're paying goodness knows what, anyway. Why do they need more money than they're already getting?

Not a whinge, just a genuine question.

My ds attends a private nursery and they are ALWAYS fundraising, sometimes for charity, but mostly just for them. But whenever something special happens like an entertainer comes in they want a gold coin donation if it's not your "day". So what is the fundraising money spent on?
I am genuinely baffled too.

carla, look round your own house. If it's anything like mine there will be plenty of areas on which you could spend some money redecorating, replastering, replacing light fittings, kitchens etc. The amount you actually spend will be largely determined by the resources available to you. I think it's the same with schools.

But do have a look at the headmistress's shoe collection in case I'm wrong .

ds school fund raises because they prioritise how they use the fee money into teaching, they have some old decrepit buildings and some spanking new ones a lot of it is quite tatty and the library isn't particualrly well stocked. Schools are expensive places to run, probably more so if they have evolved in somewhat unsuitable buildings.

there may also be tax issues between fees and donations regarding charitable status?

Good point, Hall, that makes complete sense. Just wonder why, when they're charging so much, it seems necessary. If dds' state school can rummage around for interactive whiteboards, why can't they?